No iPhone 'death grip' Down Under

Initial reports upon the launch of the iPhone 4 in Australia (reported, anecdotal) suggest the antenna problems experienced by North American owners may be isolated to those on the AT&T network.

Both sources refer to calls not being dropped as is the case they often are in the States, and limited degradation of reported signal strength when gripped so that the external antenna is bridged. Is AT&T’s network the only problem here?

What the reports don’t discuss [in any detail] is whether there is any negative impact on non-voice data error and throughput rates. This is critical given the iPhone, when used to its fullest capabilities, is more an internet enabled device than phone.

And none of the reports consider whether placing an unprotected antenna on the outside of an electronic device which can be bridged when it comes into contact with human skin is a design flaw or not. Given Apple admits it is a big enough issue to warrant giving away US$200 million worth of plastic cases ‘journalists’ should mention it in their analysis.

It amazes me nonetheless that the sheeple would by a product with such an inherent technological flaw, without at least waiting until Apple revises its approach the phone’s antenna design.